Bree lives
by breelives
Summary: The Volturi decide to give Bree another chance.
1. Chapter 1

*I recommend that you read the top of page 576 to the 6th paragraph on page 578 so you can have a better idea of what's going on.

Carlisle nodded, his expression pained.

Jane gazed at him speculatively for a few moments. Her tone incredulous, she said, "You don't seriously want to risk your coven for an unlawful newborn, do you?"

"We'll teach her," Carlisle repeated.

Jane continued to stare, then, "And you would be willing to take the consequences if she got out of hand?"

"Of course,"

"Well." She locked eyes for a moment with Felix, who looked bemused, "If you really think you could. . . . why not? It would be interesting to see the results."

I saw Carlisle relax in my peripheral vision.

"But be warned," Jane continued, "If she makes a slip up and puts the secret in jeopardy again, she won't be the only one to be punished." her gaze touched every one of us, lingering a moment longer on me. I shivered on response.

"Come." she said to the cloaked figures, she turned, beckoning them to follow. Felix's expression was disappointed as he turned to obey.

The grey cloaks disappointed into the thick mist.


	2. Chapter 2

*This takes place between Eclipse and Breaking Dawn.

It had been a day since I'd told Charlie about the wedding. He was at work now and he'd left the house in an extremely good mood. Probably imagining my call to Renee that I was procrastinating at the moment. I was cleaning house now, partly because I had been neglecting to do so for a while, as I'd been under a lot of stress, and partly because I just didn't want to pick up the phone.

More to distract myself than anything I thought about Bree, one of the newborn vampires my families had been fighting, who'd been spared. Emmett and Jasper, my soon-to-be-brothers-in-law had taken her away, out into the deep forest, where no unexpecting human could run across her. Carlisle had planned on visiting her last night, Edward had said. I wondered how she was doing. I couldn't quite understand why, but it seemed like however well I did when I finally became a vampire, would depend on how Bree did now.

I had just finished cleaning the bathroom and rinsing my hands of Comet when cool arms wrapped around my waist. I looked up in the mirror to see Edward, and all his glory, gazing at me as though I was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen. But I could never be beautiful standing next to Edward, at least, not until his side of our very recent compromise was fulfilled, then I'd be able to stand here and feel like I belonged. For now though, I would have to deal with looking pitiful in comparison.

"Did you see Carlisle?" I asked. He'd left to change his clothes and get his car. I was hoping for some news to help put off calling my mother.

"Yes. It's not so good," Edward replied, pulling me across the hall to my room. He sat me on the edge of the bed and put his hands on my shoulders, looking into my face to measure my reaction. "A ranger had been hiking near where they were taking her."

"Oh no!" I said, horrified.

"Yes, Emmett and Jasper tried to stop her but she's too strong. They made sure no other humans were near and took her out even farther. Nobody will be able to reach her now."

"That's so awful," I said, tears gathering in my eyes. Suddenly I was in Edward's arms, my face cradled against his chest as he smoothed my hair.

"Don't worry, love. It won't happen again; Emmett and Jasper are taking all the precautions they can to make sure that doesn't. And Carlisle talked to her, he said she seemed very remorseful and promised to be more careful next time. It's very doubtful there will even be a next time with how far out they have taken her."

He continued to soothe me until I'd calmed down. I was still wondering about Bree's future when the phone rang. I thought about ignoring it, but then thought it might be Charlie; I didn't want to worry him. I ran downstairs and picked up the phone, Edward at my side.

"Hello?"

"Hi, Bella, sweetie, how are you?" said my mothers voice.

My heart dropped to the floor.

"Fine, Mom, how 'bout you?" I didn't look at Edward. He wrapped a reassuring arm around my waist.

I stood and waited with my heart pounding as she talked about her day and how Phil's team was doing. She eventually seemed to notice something off about my "ya" 's and "mhmm"'s and decided to ask.

"What's up, Bella? You sound stressed."

My heart pounding in my throat I knew it was useless to wait, but I couldn't seem to choak out the words.

"Bella?" she said now, more worried. I took another deep breathe and gathered what little control I had.

"Um, Mom . . . . You see . . . . The thing is . . . ." I said in a strangled voice.

"What is it, honey?" My mom said patiently.

I took another deep breathe and made my mouth form the words.

**"Mom, I'm marrying Edward,"

There was a pause, then,

"Well Bella, I'm a little miffed that you waited so long to tell me. Plane tickets only get more expensive. Oooh." she fretted, "Do you think Phil's cast will be off by then? It will spoil the pictures if he's not in a tux-"

"Back up a second, Mom." I gasped, "What do you mean, waited so long? I only just got en-en . . . ." I was unable to force out the word _engaged- _"things settled, you know."

"Really? This_ is_ a surprise. I assumed . . . ."

"What did you assume? _When_ did you assume?'

"Well, when you came to visit me in April, it looked like things were pretty much sewn up, if you know what I mean. You're not very hard to read, sweetie. But I didn't say anything because I knew it wouldn't do any good. You're exactly like Charlie." She sighed, resigned. "Once you make up your mind, there is no reasoning with you. Of course, exactly like Charlie, you stick by your decisions, too.

"You're not making my mistakes, Bella. You sound like you're scared silly, and I'm guessing it's because you're afraid of _me_." She giggled. "Of what I'm going to think. And I know I've said a lot of things about marriage and stupidity-and I'm not taking them back-but you need to realize that those things specifically applied to _me_. You're a completely different person than I am. You make your own kinds of mistakes, and I'm sure you'll have your share of regrets in life. But commitment was never your problem, sweetie. You have a better chance of making this work than most forty-year-olds I know." Renee laughed again. "My little middle-aged child. Luckily, you seem to have found another old soul."

I slightly, despite myself; she was more right than she knew, I was still confused though, "You're not . . . . mad? You don't think I'm making a humungous mistake?"

"Well, sure, I wish you'd wait a few more years. I mean, do I look old enough to be a mother-in-law to you? Don't answer that. But this isn't about me. This is about you. Are you happy?"

"I don't know. I'm having an out-of-body experience right now."

Renee chuckled. "Does he make you happy, Bella?"

"Yes, but-"

"Are you ever going to want anyone else?"

"No, but-"

"But what?"

"But aren't you going to say that I sound exactly like every other infatuated teenager since the dawn of time?"

"You've never been a teenager, sweetie. You know what's best for_ you_."**

I thought about that for a few moments. "Thanks, Mom." I said finally, beginning to relax.

"No problem, sweetie," she said, "This is so exciting! You have to give me Esme's phone number so I can call her and help plan."

Edward held out a piece of paper and I read off the numbers for her. She giggled excitedly, said goodbye and I love you and we hung up.

I leaned heavily into Edward.

"All that worrying . . . ." he said.

"I know." I replied.

**This is an almost exact excerpt from Breaking Dawn. I put it in here so you wouldn't have to go back and forth from the book to this:)


	3. Chapter 3

*This takes place during the happy time before Alice's vision about the Vultori.

"Bree's been asking about you; said she wanted to meet you if you had the time," Emmett said one night, out-of-the-blue.

"Really?" I asked, surprised, I hadn't heard much about Bree since she's accidentally killed a ranger, there was so much going on. Of course I noticed whenever Emmett of Jasper left to go check on her, but I didn't give it a lot of thought. I did now, though, with this reminder. Why did she want to see me?

Almost as if he could read my mind, Emmett said, "She's curious about you, about how you keep such great control. Jasper told her," he added at my confused look.

I considered that for a moment and thought that it would be nice to see her too. The last time I had hadn't been under the greatest circumstances.

"Sure, when should we leave?"

Jasper answered this time, "I was planning on heading out tomorrow."

"Sounds fine," I agreed. I kept my voice controlled, but I was slightly apprehensive, I didn't really understand why. I wasn't scared that Bree could hurt me, I was younger and stronger than she was, but I guess I was scared of her reaction. Would she hate me for being a better vampire than her?

That night when Edward and I went back to our house, he didn't say anything about my plans to visit Bree the next day. This surprised me; I was sure he would try and talk me out of it, thinking it was too dangerous. I'd even prepared a few arguments if he did. Instead he said unusually little that night and I followed his lead, simply swimming in the bliss of being with him.

The next morning Edward and I ran to Esme's, I hugged and kissed Renesmee goodbye and promised I'd be back soon. She let me go with a little coaxing from Jacob, who'd arrived even sooner at Esme's than Edward and I had. I gave Edward a farewell kiss and tried to reassure him that I'd be fine, but as I turned away to leave I saw him grimace. I rolled my eyes; Alice giggled under her breathe and Edward growled low in his throat, reading what she'd seen me do.

I rolled my eyes again and followed Jasper out the back door. We ran.

I followed him and Emmett's scent a little ahead of Jasper, feeling the wind whip past me and the exhilarating speed.

About ten minutes later Jasper broke the silence, "We're almost there."  
I slowed down a bit, waiting for the little house they'd helped Bree build to appear ahead. Less than a minute later, I saw it. I stopped a few yards from the front door, Jasper coming to a stop a half a second later.

The house was simple, made of logs that, by the looks of the torn up yard, used to be trees here. There was no windows and only a front door made of wood. At the edge of the clearing there was a pile of stumps with long, tangled roots covered with branches and dead leaves. The ground was sprouting with ferns that looked like a lush green carpet and felt just as soft under my bare feet.

Besides the normal sounds of the forest and our breathing, I heard another set of lungs in the house. I could also smell a distinctly sweet honeysuckle scent that could only be another vampire. The lightest whispering of footsteps and the door of the little log house opened.

In it's frame stood the beautiful girl from my human memories. This time, though, her face wasn't contorted with painful thirst as she tried to resist it; she looked much sweeter.

"Hello," Bree said in her chiming soprano. Her arms opened in welcome and it took a moment for me to realize she meant for me to hug her. I took the few steps to reach her and embraced her awkwardly, she returned it with warmth. I kept my expression controlled, but inside I was marveling at the difference perpetual thirst could make.  
Bree and Jasper shook hands and she offered us to come in.

Inside there was only one room and in it was. . . .wood and log carvings. The most intricate carvings I'd ever seen. And that was it. There were a few tools scattered here and there, but besides that, there was nothing. No furniture, appliances, the floor was even dirt. It was so obvious that she didn't have to pretend for anyone, and I was almost jealous. She probably didn't even need shelter but for the fact that these incredible works of art would be ruined.

I bent down and ran my hand over an over sized can with fur almost as soft as the real thing. All around me were more animals, some larger than others, there was a waterfall scene, a mountain with miniature goats climbing like ants across it's rocks and so many more. And every one was flawless, even in my perfect eyesight.

"These are incredible," I said, my voice awed.

"Thanks," Bree answered proudly. " I wanted to sell them to get some money." 

I stared at her, then Jasper, "We aren't giving her any money?" I asked in shock, bordering on anger. We had more money than we knew what to do with and we couldn't spare even just a little for her?

"No," Bree said quickly and I looked back at her, her face was panicked," They offered to give me anything I wanted, I told them no, I don't want anyones stuff; it's theirs." 

I was suddenly brought back to when I was human and I had felt so guilty whenever Edward tried to give me something expensive, I still kind of felt that way about it, but it was so little of a deal for them that I was beginning to get used to it and I didn't mind as much as before.

My face softened, "You don't have to worry about that, it's really not a big deal."

Bree smiled, "I'm happy, I don't need anything else. I just wanted to see how much money I could make off one of these. My new abilities makes me better than I ever was."

I noticed the tense. "You carved when you were human?" I asked curiously.

Bree nodded. "It was fun and one of the only things I was really talented at, and now I'm even better than I was before." Her smile was now ear to ear.

We continued to talk.

I told her about Charlie and Renee, about my human life, but it seemed that she already knew quite a bit about me. I figured she'd been curious and that Jasper and Emmett had supplied her with all the information they knew. I was glad they did this; I was more interested in hearing Bree's past than in recounting my own.

It was strange, though. Despite the warm kindness I could see radiating from her face, there was a distinct tension underlying it. It wasn't obvious, but a small part of me could see it in her eyes, a small spark of indignation, or maybe fear, and I wondered where it was coming from. It had been there since she opened the door and stayed through our whole conversation.

Bree told me about her family and her own human years.

"I was born in Seattle on April 30th, the exact day I was bitten by Victoria, as a matter of fact." Bree's face was slightly bitter, "Couldn't have asked for a better birthday present."

I grimaced and Bree smiled ruefully.

"I don't mean to sound so selfish. I'm really now like that, I swear."

She continued to smile and went on with her story, "When I was born I already had three brothers and a sister. My sister was four and my brothers twelve and sixteen. The twelve year olds were twins.

"For the most part I was raised by my siblings; my parents both needed to keep full-time jobs to support so many children and even then we were short on cash.

"My siblings and I all got along well, but I was especially close to my older sister, Baily. She was always a little mother to me and took better care of me sometimes that my oldest brother. As my mom continued to have more children, Baily and I would work together to raise them.

"When I was ten my mother had her last child and us two little mothers were watching over a seven-year-old boy, five and four-year-old girls and an infant boy. When we were at school the two youngest went to daycare down the street from our house. Every day we walked over to pick them up.

"I think in many ways all of us ached for our parents attention. Saddie, the third youngest, even started acting out in school. I never did that, but I found my own way to get noticed.

"In seventh grade I discovered in art class that I had a talent for whittling. I started carving non-stop, just to impress my mom and dad. At first they were ecstatic and bought me every tool I could dream of and praised and admired my most intricate work. I thrived under their pride, but eventually even the novelty of my wood sculptures wore off for them and in the process of all my attention grabbing I lost my best friend.

"As I sculpted and shrived for my parents notice, I'd left Baily with all the mother work, abandoning our unspoken pact to stick together, no matter what. I had violated her trust, and as far as I know she still hasn't forgiven me for that.

"When Baily finally turned 18 and graduated I was left in charge. And I began pushing my responsibilities off onto my brother, David, who was 12 at the time, so I could hang out with people. I still carved a little when I was bored, but I mostly spent time with my friends.

"That's what I was doing the night Victoria got me. We were at the mall, celebrating my birthday. My friends had bought me some presents and I went out to the car alone to put them away so we could eat a late dinner. It was getting dark fast and I hurried to get back inside; it felt like I was being watched.

"And then, just as I was walking back to the bright mall doors, something hit me hard across the stomach, it felt like a metal bar, and I was suddenly flying backwards so fast that I couldn't see where I was going, everything was a blur. I tried to scream, but the force of the blow had knocked the breathe out of me.

"Less than a minute later I hit the ground. It was pitch black, but I could hear the rustling of wind through leaves so I assume I was in the forest. Then she bit me, right on the neck, just like in the movies.

"I screamed and screamed and I think she left me then, because I didn't hear or feel anyone after that, not until three days later when the fire began to ebb and I Riley started talking to me. I was so relived to hear someones voice and to feel the pain gradually leave. Before it had seemed like it would never end and I'd even gone so as far to believe I was in hell. I can't describe the ease I felt when Riley told me it would be over soon.

"When my heart finally beat its last beat and I opened my eyes for the first time, I felt the dry fire in my throat and demanded that he make it stop, he'd promised that the pain would be over. That's when he explained what I had become and how to clench my thirst. He led me on my first hunt.

"For the most part Riley let the others and me run rampant. He tried to tell us to be careful and not be too obvious while hunting, but we paid little attention; our thirst ruled us.

"About a month later, after many more had been added to our number, Riley told us about you and your coven and he said you were going to come and take our blood from us. He said you wanted it all for your own. He made us stick together for about a week and tried to get us to train, but we only fought with eachother. Then he gave us your scent and led us towards Forks. When we found your trail he split off, saying he needed to check on something and that he'd be back.

"Well, you know what happened next. We split up and fought, but Riley never came. I got scared and surrendered and then found out I'd been a mere pawn in Victoria's plans for revenge. That made it a lot easier to listen to your coven and what they had to say. Not to mention the way Carlisle stood up to the Volturi to save me. To me, the way Carlisle is proves more than anything that I can be good, that it's not all about blood. When I killed that ranger out in the forest I felt awful; I'd been preparing to be the good guy at last and then went and ruined it all in a moment. But when Carlisle came to talk to me that night, he reassured me that I could still be the good guy and I promised him that I'd do better next time. Carlisle's a wonderful person. He's not even a vampire, as far as I'm concerned."

"I know what you mean. He's better than most humans," I agreed.

Bree nodded.

Jasper spoke for the first time since entering the cabin, "We should be getting back, Bella. Edward's going to be worried sick; you're lucky we managed to talk him into letting you come here without him. Besides, Nes-Renesmee has probably destroyed to house demanding for you."

Bree sighed and opened her arms once more, "I would love to talk to you again soon, Bella," she said when I hugged her warmly.

"Of course," I replied, "It was so nice to meet you, Bree."

She smiled, but I still saw the spark in her eyes. Strange.

I took one more long look around the room at her carvings before Jasper and I walked outside. We were just about to start running when Bree's voice sounded from the cabin, "Wait!"

I turned to see her stepping out the door with the mountain carving in her arms. She held it out to me.

"Why don't you take this. For your house." she said.

"I couldn't," I told her, not wanting to take one of her beautiful pieces.

"Yes you can, here," she pushed it into my arms, "I want to repay you somehow."

"Thankyou, " I said sincerely, I knew she would be happier if I took it than if I gave it back because I felt guilty about taking it. Besides, it really was gorgeous.

Bree smiled and said goodbye.

I ran with a wide grin on my face, thrilled at how well that went.

"She's not as friendly as you think she is," Jasper said darkly.


	4. Chapter 4

"What do you mean?" I asked in suprise.  
"What I mean is that her feelings are a lot more conflicting than she openly expresses." Jasper explained as we continued running. I'd slowed down slightly, running by his side instead of ahead and adjusted the large wood chunk in my arms so I could look at him without it obstructing my view. His expression was thoughtful.  
"Was she mad?" I asked meekly. I remembered the odd spark and realized this must have been its cause. So Jasper was right, it hadn't gone as well as I'd thought.  
"She was a little angry. But like I said, her feelings were very conflicting. She was going through an extremely rapid change of emotions. Relief, sadness. Anger, jealousy. At one point she was even a bit cheerful. But confused mostly, very confused."  
"Why's she so moody?" I asked.  
"She's a newborn, a _normal_ newborn," he modified, grinning slightly, "Their emotions are greatly intensified, just like their senses and strength. Also she was in a very stressful situation, meeting you for the first time. It sent her in kind of a tail spin. But she kept under contol, that was the imprissive part."  
"She was anxious about seeing me? Why?" I questioned dubiously.  
"She wants to have control like yours, Bella, and she wants you to teach her how to get it. She was anxious that if she wasn't careful, she'd scare you off and then she'd be stuck trying to figure it out on her own. That's also where some of the jealousy comes from, she sees you and sees everything she wants to be. You're surrounded by your family. You have supreme control, which has allowed you to stay in clost contact with your father. You have a child, a husband, though I doubt she's very concerned about those last two right now; but you happy. She's been torn from her family and friends and wishes desperately she could apologize to her Baily. She's alone, or as alone as she can be. And she feels that she's out of control, ruled by her thirst, though that has gotten a lot better since she was seprrated from the other newborns and their hunting habbits. She is also very _un_happy.  
"I think she knew she was envious, and that frightened her even more. What if she flew off in a rage of jealousy and you thought bad of her for it and never came back? Not that she would blame you for it. But what would be your reaction to her even if she didn't explode? Would you like her, hate her? She had no idea. Even though we told her about you and what you're like, she didn't believe us; she needed to see it herself.  
So at the beginning she was skeptical and afraid. The more you talked, though, the more she realized how subdued you really were and the more jealous she became. She mastered it though, which was quite wonderful. Towards the end the cheerfulness and relief sprung up and I think that came from the realization that you are real, and that the kind of control you possess is real, and that you accept her, and maybe even like her a little. I think she has a chance to, her willpower is quite stong and she realizes it, too. Maybe that will give her some confidence."  
I saw one flaw in her plan though, " How in the world does she expect me to teach her? I don't even know how I do it, nobody does, not unless you count the preparation time I had, but she can't go back and prepare her self, you told her that didn't you?" Jasper nodded. "Well what does she expect me to teach her then?"  
He sighed. "I have no idea. We've told her the kind of conrol you possess isn't teachable, but like almost everything else, she doesn't believe us. She doesn't think we're lying exacly, just that we don't have our facts straight. The doubt she has of everybody is extremely frustrating. I'm beginning to wonder if her parents unreliavility has affected her trust of people overall."  
"That was sad that she never got attention," I said, thinking back to her story.  
"Yes, we all had our human problems. She'll be fine. I'm a little worried abut her visiting her family later in, though. If she lets out the secret and the Volturi find out . . ."  
"The Volturi can't do anything if she doesn't tell her family what she is, can they?"  
"I really don't think they care. Let me tell you something: remember after the fight with the newborns, when Jane decided to spare Bree? That was very unlike them. They do not give second chances, as Jane said. But Edward told us later why they had made an exception for us.  
"You see, they think that Bree will make a mistake, that living with the newborns, lawless and wild, will have had a permanent effect on her, and she won't be able to resist. They're waiting for even the smallest suspicion so they can jump, and come back here to destroy us all. To root out the competition. I would have never expected it of them, but apparently it's true."  
I shook my head, part of my mind on Jasper's disappointment in the one's who gave us 'our present way of life'. I knew the realization that they were literally out to get us was very unpleasant to him.  
The other, larger part of my brain was working through the fact that my dad knew. What did that mean? If the Volturi'd destroy us over Bree's family knowing, wouldn't they come if they found out my father did? The answer rang clear in my head: yes they would.  
Jasper, of course, sensed my unexplained panic. He gazed at me quizically. "What's the matter with you, Bella?"  
I paused for only milisecond, then spoke extroidinarily fast in my agitation, "What if they find out about Charlie?" my voice was in its hightst octave.  
Jasper answered calmy, "They won't." then, seeing my eyebrows shoot up in disbelief he added, "There's no way they could. Charlie can hardly handle seeing this stuff, let alone talking about it. And he wouldn't tell anyone anyway because he knows we'll have to leave and he wants you to stay near him."  
"I know he won't tell . . . ." I said, my boice still anxious, " But what if they find out some other way?"  
"How? How would they find out?"  
"I don't know. How would they find out if Bree told her family?" That was what he'd said, wasn't it? That Bree telling her family could give us away?  
"Bella," Jasper said in that same calm tone, "She has small siblings. Do you really think they'll keep it quiet that their sister's super strong and fast? They'll probably march around school saying she's a superhero or something. Not only that, but according to the newspapers, Bree went missing. If someone knocks on their front door, claiming to be their daughter, and looks nothing like her, what do you think her parents are going to do? Call the police. Then the newspaper will make a nice little article: Stranger Claims to be Lost Girl, Frightens the Daylights out of Parents. Then the Volturi get wind of it, because they're watching for a catalyst."  
"Oh . . . . I guess . . ." I was still scared, though. I didn't want anything to happen to Charlie and if it did, it would be all my fault. I had been willing to put him in danger to keep him close to me. Would it be death or vampire life for him now?  
Jasper interupted this mortifying thought, trying to get me calm again, "Bella, Charlie will be fine. You don't need to worry about it. If anything comes up Alice will warn us and we'll take care of it then. But it _won't_ happen, so there's no need to stress yourself."  
I felt his irresistable calm washing over me. I ran faster, but it still wasn't far enough; I was still within his range.  
I stopped. About a hundred yards ahead I saw Jasper stop too, then he doubled back.  
"Look, Bella," he said, "Edward's not going to let you visit Bree again if he thinks seeing her has upset you. You have to act normal now, okay? We're almost there."

"Alright," I agreed. Despite the conclutions visiting Bree had brought me to, I still wanted to see her and learn more about her and I knew Jasper was right about Edaward overprotectiveness. Instead, I drew my mind away from my worries about the Volturi and focussed on my family. It was easier than I expected. By the time we reached Esme's five minutes later my worry had been replaced with joy. I had everything I'd ever wanted here and now. Why worry about the unknown future?


End file.
